MISCELLANEOUS TALES.

p. 55

10. THE WOMAN WHO MARRIED THE SEAL.

A woman went in a canoe down the river. Close to the shore she was travelling in a canoe. Suddenly she saw a man. "Halloo, my wife!" The man she saw was good-looking. "What are you always looking for?" Thus spoke the man. "I am looking for some food all the time." So said the woman. "We two will go home," he said to her. Indeed, she was so inclined. "You will have much food, all kinds of food." Thus he said to the woman.

Indeed, they two went. "Won't people be looking for me?" Thus the woman was thinking. "You are not going anywhere. You will always be seen." So he told her. "You will, at any rate, leave your canoe here, and your father will find your canoe. We two will go down into the water. Hold me by this my belt." Thus he spoke to the woman. "You must close your eyes when we two go down."--"Won't I lose my breath?" Thus the woman was thinking. "We two will go (through) to a house." Thus he spoke to her. "When I tell you so, then you shall look." Surely, they two went down (into the water). They two went down into the water. Indeed, the woman closed her eyes as they were going down (into the water). They came to a house. The people she saw living there (looked) like persons.

The woman was lost. They were looking for her. p. 57 Just her canoe was found. "Where may she have gone?" The tracks led down into the water. Everywhere they looked for her. She was not found. The woman was lost.

One morning many seals were on the sand beach at the mouth of the river. One seal seemed to be marked with red paint. She was seen. The woman was shouting. She was recognized. I am cold." Thus the woman spoke. People went after her. Many seals were (on top). There amongst them (in the middle) was the woman. The man went there. The seals ran into the water, and the woman ran first into the water. All the seals ran into the water.

The man went home, and made it known. "I saw the woman among seals." Thus he made it known when he returned. "We will head them off." Many people started down the stream. They saw, indeed, many seals on the sand beach, and there amongst (them) was the woman. The woman was shouting, "I am cold!" Thus the woman was talking. Indeed, they headed them off. The woman ran first into the water. Thus the people were talking. "We cannot seize her." So the men were saying. They recognized the woman. They gave it up. "We doubt whether we shall catch her." Thus the men were speaking.

Then, perhaps, in a few days she was suddenly seen walking along the shore. "Halloo, my child! I am travelling here." Her father saw her. Thus the woman was talking: "I have two children." So she informed her father. "I cannot come back." She said to her father, "You shall always walk around here." Thus she said to her father. She gave money to her father. "You will not see me again." Thus the woman was talking. "Now I will again go down into the water. I saw them (look) like persons, when we two came back into the house. That house (you will be surprised) is (made of) sand." p. 59 Thus she informed her father. He saw her, indeed, as his child went down into the water. Wading, she went down into the river. There she dove. Her father was very sorry.

Thus the story ends.